In Dreams Forgotten

by Tracie Peterson

  “My . . . mother and I gardened and cared for the other livestock. We had chickens galore, a couple of goats, and a milk cow. There was also a dog named Mack. He was a good guard dog and a bit of a mutt.” Judith smiled. “I’ve always liked animals.”

  “I have a cat,” Mrs. Whitley said. “He’s nearly the same color as the stone on this house, so I named him Mr. Stone.” She smiled. “I’m sure you’ll see him around.”

  “We didn’t have cats because they would pester the chickens. Mack had a run-in with the rooster, and after that, he pretty much left the chickens alone.”

  “It sounds as if you had a very hard life.”

  Judith shook her head. “It didn’t seem that way at the time. There was always plenty of work to be done, and I did long for more family. I always wanted siblings and grandparents. My mother—” Again she hesitated. Judith sighed. “My mother always said there was no one else.”

  “Did she ever talk of the past?”

  “No. Not really. A few times she started to mention some memory, but usually she’d stop and say it wasn’t important. When Papa died, she told me that she didn’t know what she would do. She’d never loved anyone but him. I asked her how they met, and she said she’d met him during a riding lesson. That was the first time I’d ever heard her speak of such things.”

  Mrs. Whitley nodded. “They did meet that way. Homer was one of the grooms on your grandparents’ estate. Your mother’s parents.”

  “Where did they live?”

  “Just outside the city and to the south. They owned a large horse farm. They raised the most beautiful Arabians, and people came from far and wide to purchase those horses.”

  “What happened to them?”

  “Your grandmother passed away first. Her health failed her after Lila stole you away. She was beside herself, having lost not only a granddaughter but also a daughter. She tried to offer consolation to Edith, but of course none could be had. Not for either one. Your grandmother lost hope and took to her bed. The strain was too much, and she died. After that, your grandfather focused on the horses, but when little James was killed, he was devastated.”

  “You mean James died at their farm?”

  “Yes,” her grandmother replied, her tone becoming somber. “Your grandfather was teaching James to ride. Your mother and Lila had learned early to master horses, and she knew her father was an excellent teacher. However, something happened, and the horse spooked. Before your grandfather could reach them, the horse bolted, and James fell and broke his neck. He died immediately. Your grandfather was so grief-stricken that he shot the horse and vowed to have nothing more to do with the animals. He sold the ranch and moved to a small town to the north. He died in early 1899, which was the reason your mother and father took Cora and went abroad. Nelson had hoped it might restore your mother’s spirits. She had so much loss in her life. When I learned that their ship had gone down and they were drowned, I was beside myself. My son was dead, and his family . . . The loss was acute. So you see, it’s important to me that you come here and take your rightful place.”

  “But I don’t know you.” Judith tried to speak gently. She didn’t want the old woman to think that she was without sympathy, but she wanted to make her feelings clear. “I want to know you better first.”

  “Living here would allow for that, don’t you think?”

  “It would, but it would also be very uncomfortable for me. I would rather get to know you a little bit at a time.”

  “You are a Whitley, Judith. You belong here, and in many aspects, don’t you think you owe it to me . . . to yourself?”

  “Judith owes you nothing,” Camri said in a protective manner. “She’s been just as much a victim in all of this as you and the others. You must allow that her entire world has been set on its ear, while the foundation of yours remains solid. Judith needs to handle this in whatever manner makes sense to her. You must give her time.”

  The look on Mrs. Whitley’s face showed that she wasn’t used to anyone standing up to her in such a manner. Judith wanted to say something to calm the tension, but was frankly glad that Camri had interceded.

  A man walked out into the garden. “Mother, I was told you were entertaining Judith today.” He looked at Judith, and his mouth dropped open. “Good grief, I can see why you had no doubt of her being Nelson’s daughter. There can be no question of that.”

  Judith considered the man. He was rather stocky with tawny hair that bore a fair share of gray. She tried to force some recognition or sense of familiarity, but there was none. Meanwhile, he assessed her as though he might be buying a horse.

  “This is your Uncle William, Judith. He is your father’s younger brother.”

  “I’m . . . pleased to meet you.” She wondered at his previous comment. “Why would you doubt I was your brother’s daughter?” The question came out before she’d really had a chance to consider it.

  William shrugged. “A rich man has many relatives.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Simply put,” he said, “there is always someone who wishes to gain a share of the family money. You could have simply learned of the kidnapping and decided it was a way to get some of our money for yourself.”

  “What an awful thing to say,” Kenzie interjected. “Rude too.”

  “I meant no rudeness,” he replied, although he didn’t sound overly sincere. “I presume these are your friends?”

  “Yes.” Judith introduced them. She felt strangely wary of this man, however. Why should he be concerned about her seeking their money? She didn’t even want to move into their home.

  “How did you all meet?” he asked.

  She barely heard the question but managed to answer. “We met on the train coming to San Francisco. Camri invited us to live with her in her brother’s house. He was away at the time, but has since returned.”

  “So you live at the Coulter house,” her grandmother stated.

  Too late, Judith realized her mistake. “Yes. I do.” She got to her feet. “I believe we should be returning home. Thank you for asking us here today, but Kenzie and I have work tomorrow and need to prepare for that.”

  “Work? Nonsense, child. You have no need to work. You have access to a vast fortune now.” Her grandmother shook her head. “I won’t have you working.”

  “That’s really her choice,” Kenzie said, standing beside Judith.

  “Yes,” Camri reiterated. “Women today have choices that they’ve lacked before. I, myself, am college educated and hope to teach at one of the area colleges. Women needn’t remain idle if they’d rather do something more.” She rose and smiled at the older woman. “We have come a long way toward our independence.”

  “Be that as it may,” Mrs. Whitley began, “no granddaughter of mine need ever toil for a living.”

  “But I like my job,” Judith said. She looked at her uncle. “And I have no desire to take your money. I didn’t seek you out for that reason.”

  “William meant nothing by his comment, so don’t give it another thought,” Mrs. Whitley quickly stated, giving him a scathing look. She began to rise, and William quickly helped her with her chair. “I am sorry you feel you must leave, Judith. Please know that you are always welcome here. You needn’t send a request to come—simply arrive. I do hope that soon you will be willing to call this place your home.” She rang for the butler.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Whitley . . . Grandmother.” Judith could see that Camri and Kenzie had already moved to the door.

  Ramsay reappeared, and Mrs. Whitley nodded toward him. “Ramsay will show you out. The house is quite large, and I wouldn’t have you lose your way. Hopefully in time you’ll come to know it better.”

  The butler led them back through the massive house and to the front door. Judith was glad to be outside once again. Even on that short walk, she had begun to feel like the house was a prison.

  “That was an ordeal,” she murmured.

  “That old woman is definitely all that Ca
leb said she was,” Camri replied and set off down the drive. “It’s clear she rules this house. You’ll have to be on your guard with her.”

  Kenzie followed Camri, leaving Judith to bring up the rear. Judith hesitated for a moment, glancing back at the house. A part of her longed to know more about these people, while an equal part wanted to run away and never return. It was as if a battle raged inside for possession of her heart.

  “Grandmother can be rather formidable.”

  Judith turned to find the owner of the voice. He was tall, with a head of thick, golden hair. His blue eyes seemed to twinkle in delight. She cocked her head to one side. “Do I know you?”

  “Let me introduce myself,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m William Whitley the Second. But you can call me Bill, since we are cousins.”

  His jovial spirit immediately put Judith at ease. “I’m Judith.”

  “Yes, I know. You look exactly like your sister, although I doubt I ever saw her wearing plaid.”

  Judith glanced down at her gown. Was plaid not acceptable? She looked back up to meet Bill’s amused expression.

  “It’s beautiful,” he said. “It would have done Cora a world of good. She always wore such pasty colors. You look stunning.”

  Judith smiled. “Thank you, Bill.”

  He nodded toward the house. “Don’t let the old dragon scare you away for long. I’d really like to get to know you better. Cora and I always got along well. She confided in me, and I in her. I can’t imagine that you and I wouldn’t do the same someday.”

  Not knowing what to say, Judith simply gave a nod. Camri and Kenzie were waiting for her near the front gates. “I must go.”

  “Please come back soon.” He gave her a dazzling smile. “This house could use some cheer.”

  “I . . . I’m sure I’ll see you again.” She hurried to the gates, not quite knowing what to make of the handsome young man.

  “Who was that?” Camri asked.

  Judith glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “William Whitley the Second. My cousin.”

  CHAPTER

  13

  Camri recorded the comments of every man who spoke at the meeting. They were all here to see Abraham Ruef put in jail, and none were shy about saying as much. In fact, more than once the conversations had gotten quite heated. Had lynch mobs still been in fashion, Camri felt certain Ruef would already be dead.

  “The federal government is willing to assist us to a degree,” Fremont Older declared. “That will give us the additional boost we’ve needed.”

  Camri scribbled down his comments. She had learned shorthand out of boredom originally, but over the years had found it useful. When Caleb brought the request to take notes to her, Camri had been happy to help. After all, it got her out of the house and into the company of Patrick. Other women might have preferred a night out on the town, enjoying dinner and perhaps the opera, but Camri was devoted to the war against Ruef. This was exciting and history making. And seeing Ruef behind bars would mean she and Patrick could finally set a wedding date.

  She couldn’t suppress a smile as she glanced toward her husband-to-be. He didn’t seem to notice her gaze, and Camri was glad. She liked to study him when he didn’t realize she was watching. She wanted to memorize every aspect of his face, from his beautiful blue eyes to his full lips and handsome nose. Well, at least she thought his nose was handsome, despite it having been broken on more than one occasion in his younger years.

  She put aside her consideration of the man she’d come to love more than life and focused on the meeting. She’d been taught from an early age that women could do most anything they set their minds to, but it was still hard to convince the rest of the world. Because of this, women had to work twice as hard to convince men that they could manage some of the same jobs. Most of the men present had looked askance at her attendance. Several of the men who regularly attended these meetings had brought male secretaries to assist in keeping notes and told Caleb that they would have the notes typed up for his use. He needn’t have his sister present. Caleb, however, wanted his own record. He had confided in Camri that he wasn’t convinced all of the men were on the same side. He wanted her to detail not only what was said, but if she saw things going on behind the scenes, he wanted notes on that as well.

  “I believe, given all that we’ve been able to do in the last week,” William Langdon announced, “that it won’t be long before we can bring formal charges against Ruef. Until then, I urge you to do what you can to protect yourselves. Say nothing to anyone else about our dealings.”

  Once the meeting broke up, Camri stood and began to put her things away. Patrick came to stand behind her, and when she straightened, he whispered in her ear.

  “Ye’re a fine-lookin’ lass, you know. I’ve half a mind to marry ye.”

  She smiled and turned to face him. “I’m sorry, but I’m already engaged, and my fiancé would not approve of your talking love to me.”

  Patrick grinned. “No, for sure he would not want anyone else talking love to ye.”

  Caleb joined them. “I think the meeting went well. We’re making progress. The ledger and papers I turned over to Langdon have proven very helpful. He’s been able to get signed affidavits from some of Ruef’s victims.”

  “Do you think they’ll be able to bring indictments against Ruef very soon?” Camri asked.

  He shrugged. “These things take time. If we rush it, we might make mistakes and have to start all over again. Of course, then Ruef would be aware of our dealings and would have the time and money to thwart our efforts. At least Langdon’s actions against vice have shown folks that Ruef’s stronghold can be broken. That’s brought some folks out of hiding, and they’re willing to join the cause.”

  “I was surprised to hear what Spreckels had to say about the city’s growth,” Patrick said as Camri tucked her notes into a satchel.

  “I was too, frankly. I had no idea it had nearly doubled in the last five years.” Caleb took up his hat. “It’s no wonder Ruef has been pushing extra hard to control every aspect of growth. With all the outside interest in investing in San Francisco, he can no doubt already taste the profits coming his way.”

  Patrick led the way from the room. Camri returned the conversation to her concerns about time. “I know these things take time, but surely we can count on Ruef’s grip being loosened enough that Patrick can reclaim his construction business.”

  “I’m working on it,” Caleb said. “I’ve drawn up papers, and Judge Winters is going to help me push for the return of his property, since Patrick was cleared of all charges. Ruef won’t like having to give anything back, however, so we must be certain to do everything in meticulous order. Besides, now that we have purchased the warehouse, Patrick has his hands full with making repairs.”

  “Coulter, I wonder if you’d spare me a minute,” Fremont Older said as they tried to leave the building.

  Caleb glanced at Patrick. “Do you mind waiting?”

  “We’ll just start walkin’. Ye can pick us up along the way.” Patrick put his arm around Camri. “That way we can do some spoonin’.”

  Caleb chuckled. “I’ll be with you shortly.”

  Patrick drew Camri along with him. She knew he would sense her frustration and want to know what was wrong. The trouble was, he knew what was wrong. She wanted to set their wedding date and couldn’t until he could settle his business matters.

  Clouds had moved in during the day, and a hint of fog was threatening to settle on top of the city. The dampness chilled her to the bone. She handed her satchel to Patrick in order to pull on her gloves.

  “Now I have ye all to myself,” he said, taking a possessive hold on her elbow.

  “You could have me all to yourself all the time if you would just marry me.”

  He laughed, which wasn’t at all the response Camri wanted. She looked up at him and pulled her arm away at the same time.

  “I was serious. You just keep me guessing and waiting.”

&nbs
p; “Just as they keep me guessin’ and waitin’. Ye heard yer brother. It takes time, and he’s doin’ everythin’ he can.”

  “Well, I’m beginning to think you don’t mind the wait as much as I do.” She tried not to sound like a pouty child, but knew that despite her efforts that was exactly her tone.

  “Maybe ye shouldn’t think so much, given the fact that ye’re makin’ no sense. For sure ye need to pray for a bit more patience.”

  “It isn’t patience I need. It’s a wedding date. My mother keeps asking me so they can make plans to be here. Then there are all the other things that need to be arranged. The church and minister, my dress and those of my attendants, not to mention the reception.”

  “Then don’t.”

  She frowned and stopped midstep. “Don’t what?”

  “Mention the reception.” He crossed his arms and looked at her. “I want to marry ye as much as ye want to marry me, but I cannot until I can support ye.”

  “But you’re working for Caleb now and making a wage.”

  “Aye, but that’s not the same as havin’ my business returned to me. Besides, we agreed the first of the pay would be goin’ to furnish my sister with a headstone.” He shook his head. “Camri, we’ve been all around this bush and beat it several times. There’s nothin’ hidin’ within that hasn’t come to light. We just need to bide our time.”

  She let go an exasperated breath and started off down the road. She knew he was right, but it didn’t change matters. She needed to be able to set a date. She wanted to be able to dream about that day—to arrange for flowers and cakes and all manner of things that would make the day perfect. It surprised her to feel so passionate about the planning, but she couldn’t help herself. She knew it didn’t matter to Patrick as much as it did to her, but she wanted that day to be perfect. Patrick would be happy just to show up before a judge after giving her five minutes’ warning.

  “Ye aren’t goin’ to be changin’ my mind with yer anger.” His Irish brogue always thickened when he was irritated.